Tinker Bells race through Disney

Mariel Cisterino of Santa Ana runs into the open arms of Mickey during the Tinker Bell half marathon Sunday. MINDY SCHAUER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The "Scary Fairy" and "Vidia" aka Al and Loree Magnan of Orange rejoice as they finish the Tinker Bell half marathon Sunday. They pounding the pavement for 13.1 miles with a course running through scenic Disney and the city of Anaheim. MINDY SCHAUER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Waiting in the corrals and ready to go, 14,000 athletes rise before the sun to take part in the annual Tinker Bell half marathon Sunday. The 13.1 mile run snaked through Disney parks and surrounding streets. MINDY SCHAUER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Aaron Zetzer flies through the finish Sunday during the Tinker Bell half Marathon at Disneyland. MINDY SCHAUER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Tinker Bell half marathon runners take time out from running to pose with Disney characters as they wind through the park during the 13.1 mile run. MINDY SCHAUER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Water cups mark the spot where runners have been during Disney's Tinker Bell half marathon Sunday. MINDY SCHAUER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Woodbridge High School Students Patrick Chang, from left, Quannie Tsang and Lauren Lee, rest in the luggage compartment of a bus as the await their turn to play music for Tinker Bell half marathon runners Suday. MINDY SCHAUER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Mariel Cisterino of Santa Ana runs into the open arms of Mickey during the Tinker Bell half marathon Sunday. MINDY SCHAUER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

ANAHEIM – As a marathon runner, Angela Escay would log 80 miles each week training for an event such as the 13.1 mile Tinker Bell Half Marathon at Disneyland.

But three years ago, while preparing for the Olympic trials, she injured a tendon in her ankle and decided to run a marathon the next month anyway. That made the injury worse. She tore the tendon and needed surgery.

"You train so hard for a marathon. We're stubborn like that," said Escay, 38, from the Sacramento area. "It was a mess."

By Sunday's race in Anaheim, her first in three years, she was back up to running "only" 50 miles a week. Among the more than 14,000 runners who participated in Disneyland's fairy-themed half marathon, she finished first. With a time of one hour, 24 minutes and 10 seconds, she shaved more than three minutes off the time set by the winner of the inaugural Tinker Bell run last January.

"I'm just glad it's done, honestly," Escay said after the race, waiting for her friends to catch up. "I was kinda stressed."

Long before dawn Sunday, husbands, fathers and sons stood in the chilly air crowding the sidewalk along Disneyland Drive with other family and friends to cheer on the women in their lives. The procession down the street included runners from 14 countries, all 50 states and it took more than a half hour to launch everyone. This year, more than 2,000 additional runners signed up for the 5 a.m. run through Disney parks and surrounding streets.

Though Escay eschewed the green Tinker Bell wings and tutu for fear of chafing, many of those running Sunday dressed up as a fairy or some other Disney female. The event is aimed at women, but men are allowed in, and more than 1,600 people participated. A number of the guys didn't mind dressing up either.

"Go big or go home," said Paul Scott, a Denver resident, explaining why he ran his first half-marathon with his lanky pale body stretching out of a tight green Tinker Bell dress.

Scott was far from the only man dressed up. Tetsutomo Iizuka and Michael Cruz-Herrera were among those in costume, too.

Iizuka is a Japanese runner who participates in marathons around the world dressed as Minnie Mouse, including more than 20 Disney races. Cruz-Herrera is a Pasadena resident who started running in 2010 because he wanted to get fit after a breakup. He dressed up in costumes for each of his five Disney races, the latest, befitting the race's theme, as Peter Pan's not-so-trustworthy companion.

"I get compliments," Cruz-Herrera said. "It's a lot easier with people cheering for you."

Iizuka finished the race quickly and, through broken English, asked around for the booth where he could get the Coast to Coast medal. Everyone participating in the race gets a gleaming medal of Tinker Bell, but special accomplishments, like running in an event in both Florida and California, awards a special one. Iizuka ran in the Walt Disney World Marathon last weekend, entitling him to the Coast to Coast medal. He plans to run the other Disney female-focused race, the Princess Half Marathon, at Walt Disney World in February.

After the painful breakup that got him started running, Cruz-Herrera developed a new goal – beating the Japanese Minnie Mouse.

"I want to beat him just once," he said. "That's my goal in life."

As for why Iizuka dresses as Minnie Mouse when he runs around the world, he offered the following: "It's my favorite character...I always dress as Minnie."

By around 8:30 a.m., a steady stream of runners, some still covered in aluminum-foil blankets given to them after the race, made their way through Downtown Disney in the direction of the 9 a.m. openings at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure parks.

For Rebecca Kassekert, the sweat of her run had already disappeared while she held a tiny princess who didn't like her outfit. Rapunzel sat quietly in her stroller and Buzz Lightyear ran around in circles nearby.

"I have three kids," said Kassekert. "Of course I have to (go to Disneyland)."

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